A boil that keeps returning, recurrent vaginal candidiasis, unexplained weight loss, frequent urination or unusual thirst may be more than just a passing health complaint.
They could be warning signs of diabetes, Endocrinologist and Physician Specialist at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Dr Ebenezer Nikoi, has cautioned.
In Ghana, a 2023 WHO STEPS survey estimates the prevalence of diabetes at 5.2 per cent among adults aged 18 to 69 years.
It found that a striking 70.3 per cent of Ghanaians (7 out of 10 adults) have never checked their blood sugar levels with the lack of screening higher among men (76.6 per cent) than in women (63.9 per cent).
Diabetes Explained:
Diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or cannot use the insulin it produces effectively.
Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas and helps glucose from food move from the bloodstream into the body’s cells, where it is used for energy.
When insulin is insufficient or does not work properly, glucose builds up in the blood, resulting in high blood sugar, commonly referred to as Diabetes.
Types of Diabetes:
There are two main types of diabetes.
–Type 1 Diabetes; occurs when the body’s immune system destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, leaving the body with little or no insulin.
People with Type 1 diabetes therefore require insulin to survive, says Dr Nikoi.
–Type 2 diabetes; the common and most prevalent form, occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin and, over time, the pancreas may no longer produce enough insulin to keep blood sugar within a healthy range.
It is a progressive condition and may eventually require more than one medicine or insulin to control blood sugar.
Who Is At Risk?
Dr Nikoi says non-modifiable risk factors for Diabetes include age, family history and genetics, as well as a history of gestational diabetes, mostly in pregnant women.
Lifestyle and other health-related risk factors include overweight or obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, excessive alcohol use, hypertension, high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease.
He advises that all adults aged 35 years and above must screen for diabetes even when they have no symptoms, while people with risk factors may need screening earlier than age 35.
What Do Your Numbers Mean?
Experts say, Diabetes cannot be diagnosed from symptoms alone. A blood test is required.
Dr Nikoi explains these common tests including fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and random blood glucose.
- For fasting blood glucose, usually done in the morning before eating, a reading of 7.0 mmol/L or higher is in the Diabetes range.
– A reading of 6.1–6.9 mmol/L indicates impaired fasting glucose, commonly referred to as prediabetes.
– A reading of 6.0 or below is interpreted as a normal blood glucose.
- For HbA1c, which reflects average blood glucose over two to three months;
– A 6.5 per cent or higher reading is in the diabetes range,
– 5.7–6.4 per cent is generally considered prediabetes.
– A 5.7 or less, is considered normal.
- In an OGTT, a two-hour blood glucose level of 11.1 mmol/L or higher is in the diabetes range.
- A random blood glucose of 11.1 mmol/L or higher in a person with classic symptoms of Diabetes may also indicate the condition.
Dr Nikoi cautions that an abnormal result may require repeat testing or another test, particularly in people without obvious symptoms, urging people to consult their physicians on their numbers.
What To Do Today:
–Don’t wait for serious symptoms before checking your blood sugar.
– Age 35 or older? Get screened even if you feel well.
– Younger but overweight, inactive or have a family history or other risk factors? Get screened before age 35 and seek professional advice.
– Experiencing frequent urination, unusual thirst, unexplained weight loss or recurrent infections? Get your blood glucose checked.
Key Message:
Early detection means diabetes can be diagnosed and managed before prolonged high blood sugar causes serious complications.
Get screened today.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
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